Up Mt. Mansfield...we did it!!!

We made it up Mt. Mansfield last weekend. It definetely was not an easy climb, and it made some of the other climbs we've done earlier in the summer seem like a walk in the park. Right from the start it is straight up and really doesn't let up at all. The mountain gave us all a bit of a beating - and we all came back a little bruised and battered. We were proud though because we set a pretty good pace, even with two little ones, and only one group (two men hiking on their own) passed us - earlier in the season we were getting passed by lots of hikers. We definetely won't be taking Daisy up again as we had to carry her 88+ pound self up difficult sections of the summit ridge. It was definetely a tricky and challenging climb and the summit ridge is quite an adventure - especially with two young kids and a dog you have to carry, but Tanner was very proud to stand on the summit - the highest peak in VT. Cameron was definetely our entertainment crew on this trip, and he kept us smiling with his singing....his favorite song that day was his rendition of "Shake it for me girl" - his version "Shake it for me Buzz Year!" A few friends have told us that now we can call ourselves true Vermonters. Yippee for that!!! We were all happy to have made it and are excited to go up again.....next year!!!! On the way down Tan was talking about how next time he wants to do the full loop so that we get to stand on "the nose" too. Mike and I agree with him. I think that will be a goal for next year. (For those of you who don't know Mt. Mansfield - it resembles the face of a man lying down....the part we climbed - the "chin" is the highest part. But there are other cool parts to climb - the "Adam's apple", the "forehead", the "nose". )

Up at Manitou....

Manitou season is back, and the boys are thrilled and so are we. The boys just love spending their summer's up there just as I did when I was a little girl. It's so neat to see them doing the same things and playing in the same places that I did when I was little, and Mom did before me. Both boys are loving the summer program this year and we've been paddling over to swim lessons - which has been having mixed results. Tan's becoming quite a good little paddler because of it. Cam on the other hand is a little afraid of the canoe and that we might tip (because a fish might get us!) so we stick close to shore and talk about how safe we are!!! They've both been really liking their swim teachers and have been liking being at the community center. A huge novelty is that sometimes we don't wear shoes all day when we're at Manitou....we travel to visit family on the lake, or go to the community center all by boat and never put our shoes on once. The kids think that is so cool. Poppa got the kids at E-Z ski, waterski trainer for this year and Tanner just loves that. It's a really neat thing. The highlight of Cam's last visit was the rock bass he caught all by himself which made him very, very proud. (We were very proud of him too). Of course he didn't want to touch it because he's pretty terrified of fish...but he was so happy to have caught it!!! Cammy has been working like crazy in his swim lessons (it's pretty impressive for only 2 1/2) and Mr. Govan told him that he might be able to go on the distance swim - with his life jacket of course - with the big kids next time which he's very excited about).

Hunger Mountain...Big Hike #3 for 2011

We've been on a mission to climb some of Vermont's highest peaks this summer, working towards getting ourselves up Mt. Mansfield (VT's highest peak). Up until this year Tan had climbed only the smaller mountains around us (Mt. Philo, Bristol Cliff's, Snake Mtn) on his own...but this was his third of the big climbs and things have been going great. He's a pretty great little hiker we've learned. (And Cam is dying to hike too, though his little legs just don't go fast enough at this point to do the whole thing). Hunger Mtn is known for being a tough one. It's pretty much staight up from the very start...no easing your way into it. But when we finished it Tanner's thoughts were: "I want to do it again when it's sunny." We got soaked from the rain, and couldn't see a thing at the top, but it was a good climb and we did it!!! Yippee!!! And the cider and hot cider donuts at the bottom made it well worth the effort.